Circular-knitting machine.



W. LARKIN CIRCULAR KNETHNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED we. I3. [SIM Patented. Oct. 30, 1911 10 SHEETS-SHEET 1|W. LARKIN.

C1RCULAH KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATIUN FILED 11116.13 1914.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

W Z r Iwentor- W. LARKIN.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED MIG. I3. 1914 1,244,991. Patented Oct. 30,1917.

10 SHEETSSH ET 3.

uifiing 6312's imz a/ 161i 4%y4 filverzibr W. LARKIN.

CIRCULAR KNITVTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I3.1914.

Patel'lted 0015.30, 1917.

I0 SHEETS--SHEET 4.

W. LARKIN.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-13.1914.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917 I0 SHEETS--SHEET 5.

W. LARKIN.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED AUG-13.1914

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 5 W. LARKIN.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHJNE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I3.1914. 1,244,991. 7' Patented 001;. 30,1917.

l0 SHEETS-SHEET 7- @8638? izveraiw hw /ww 472%: M

W. LARKIN w .U'TJMR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I3. 1914.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

w. LARKIN.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG 13 1914.

Patented 0013. 30, 1917.

\0 SHEETS-SHEET 9'.

five for W; LARKIN.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE. APPLICATION mm us. 13. 19M.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 10.

f ar' inafter described and set forth in the claims. 80

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER LABKIN, 013 BOSTON, IASSAGHUSETTS, ASBIGNO B T0 JENCKES KNITTINGMACHINE COMPANY, 01 PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND; A CORPORATION OF nnonnISLAND.

' cr'ncummxm'r'rme macnmn.

Specification of Letters Intent. Patented Oct, 1917 Application filedAugust 18, 1914. Serial No. 858,547.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER LABKIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Sulfolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circular-Knittin.Maehincs; and I do hereby declare the fol owing to be a full, clear,and exact de' scription of the inventiomsuch as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to that class of circular knitting machines inwhich the needles are mounted in a needle cylinder and are operated uponby cams and pickers arranged about the cylinder, the relative movements7 between the needle cylinder and needle operating cams and pickersrequisite for knitting a tubular fabric provided at intervals with heeland toe pockets being produced by rotarry needle cylinder or camcylinder.

Theobject of the invention'is to improve and simplify the constructionand arrange ment of the various parts and mechanisms of a. machine ofthis type, and tothat end, the invention comprises the features ofconstructions and combinations of parts here- The various features ofthe invention will be readily understood from an inspection of theaccompanying drawings andthe following detailed description of themachine illustrated therein.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a knitting machineembodying the various features of the invention in their preferredforms; Fig. 2 is a left hand side elevationgFig. 3 is a plan; Fig. l isa vertical sectional ,view through the knittmg head; Fig. 5 is a detailplan view of the latch ring;Fig. 6 is a detailed 'viewof the cam platefor controlling the yarn carrier fingers; Fig, 7 isia detail view of thethroat plate; Figs. 8,9 and loare detailviews of the; high splicer cam;Fig. 11. is a. vertical sctionalview. through thedriving niechanism .forthe needle cylinder; Figs. .12, 13, yllgand lfi are detail views of the,fabric take-up; Fig. 1 6 is a plan view of the cam cylinder; Fig. 17 isa view showing the nterior of that section of the cam cylinder whichcarries the knitting cams and pickers;

Fig. 18 is an exterior view of the same; Fig. 19 is a sectional detailon line Ill-19 of and reciproca'tory niovcuieiu's of the Fig. 17; Fig.20 is a detail plan view of the leveling cam and its operating d ices;Fig. 21 is a sectional detail on line 2 -2l, Fig. 20; Fig. 22 is adetail view of the drum which carries the cams for eontrollin thevarious mechanisms of the machine; igs. 23 and 24 are details of the camdrum and a part of its actuating mechanism; Fig. 25 is an end view ofthe cam drum and the ratchet wheel through which it is actuated; Fig. 26is a detailed elevation showing the pattern chain and the drum actuatingmechanism; F i 27 is a plan view of the parts shown in ig. 26; and Fig.28 is a detail -the needle cylinder, a series of yarn carryingfingersfor delivering yarn to the needles and for changing the yarnduring the. knit ting, and an intermittently revolving cam drum carryingthe various cams for automatically operating and controlling the various.parts and mechanisms of the machine. The machine is also prrnidcd withmechanism for raising and lowering the needle cylinder to vary thelength of stitch at different parts of the stocking, and with mechanismfor leueling the needles for the purpose o f transferring rib topsthereto i when the machine is being operated to knit half hoseq The'.maclline is also provided with a fabric take-up fdr taking up the knitfabric as the knitting progresses.

In the construction shown, the needles 1 are mounted in. a. needle.cylinder 2 which is mounted to slide vertically on a sleeve 3 and isconnected to rotate'therewith by .a key 4, (Fig. 4);: The needlecylinderis 'SIIPPOI'tEdLOH a support 5 and runs on ball bearings -6 interposedbetween the needle cylinder and the needle cylinder support. The needlecylinder is retained 0nthe support by a bar 7, one end'of which issecured to the support and the other end of which is offset to engage agroove formed in the needle cylinder, the bar being made in sections Sothat it may be adjusted. Theneedle cylinder support is formed on an arm8 secured to the upper end of a rod 9 which is mounted to slidevertically in suitable bearings in the frame of the machine. The rearend of the arm 8 is provided with a series of adjustable screws 10 whichare arranged to be engaged by a series of cams carrie'chbytl'reram' drum11, the cams being properly arranged and termed to raise and lower theneedle cylin der to vary the tension or length of stitch at varioustimes in the knitting, as is customary in this type of machine. The arm8 also carries an adjustable screw 12 arranged to bear on a cam 13formed on the hub of a lever 14 which is mounted to turn loosely on therod 9 (Fig. .The lever 14 may be turned by the operator to raise andlower the needle cylinder in transferring. The needle cylinder isrotated or reciprocated through a. bevel gear 15 formed on the lower endof the sleeve?) and engaged by a bevel gear 16 loosely mounted on thedrive shaft 17 and adapted to be connected with a rotary -pinion 18which is secured to the shaftor to an oscillating pinion 1f) whichisloosely mounted on the shaft. 'lhemeans for connecting the driving gear16 with one or another of the pinions comprises a clutch bolt 2tl'iiiounted to slide in the hub of the gearand arranged .to be shiftedinto engagelucnt'with notches or recesses in the pinions. The clutchbolt is connectedto a sleeve 21 mounted to slide on the hub of the gear.16 and prop-'ided with'an annulargroove' which is engaged by a yoke 22mounted on the forj ward endjof a lever 23 .(Figs. 1, 2.1and 22).

The rear end of the lever 23 is arranged to .be engaged bv cams 24 onthe cam drum 11 which operate the lever to shift the bolt from onepinion to the other at the proper intervals to change the motion of theneedle cylinder. The shaft and therefore the pinion 18 are continuouslydriven during the knitting either at a highera low speed and the pinion19 is oscillated through a segment 25 which is connected througha link26 with a crank pin 27 carried bya gear 28 which meshes with the pinion18. The pinion 18 is driven at a high speed through a pulley 29 looselymounted on the shaft and carrying a gear 30 meshing with a gear 31, thehub of which is connected with the hub of a gear 82 meshing with thepinion 18; The pinion 18 is. driven at a slower speed through a pulley33 secured to the shaft 17 and arranged at the side of the pulley 29.The loose pulley 34 on to which the belt is shifted when the machine isto be stopped runs loosely on the hub of the slow 69 speed pulley A.crank handle 35 is con- .nected with the end of the driving shaftthrough a ratchet mechanism indicated at 36' so that the machine may beturned by hand when desired. a This construction of driving mechanismfor the needle cylinder is simple and compact and does not involve theuse of comparatively long sleeves for securing connections between thedifierent 'pulleys and gears. It also enables the drivmg shaft to bereadily mounted in ball bearings'with a resulting reduction in thefriction and wear.

cams 37 formed on the cam drum 11 and arranged to engage the upper endof an arm 38 secured to the belt shipper rod 39. The rod Bil carries abelt shipper i0 and is forced ina direction'toshift the belt on to thehigh speed pulley 29 by a spring 41. The belt may be shifted on to theloose pulley automatically by a cam secured to the cam drum and arrangedto engage the arm 38, or it niay be shifted manually by the operatorthrough a handle 42 projecting from the belt shipper. The belt shippermay be latched in position with the belt on the loose pulley by a latcht3 engaging the handle 42. The latch may be thrown up by the operator torelease the belt shipper and thus shift the belt onto the high speedpulley.

The cam drum 11 is moved at proper intervals through a ratchet wheel 14secured to the end of the drum and; engaged by a pawl 45. pivotally'mounted on the upper end of apawl carrying lever 46 (Figs. 2, 11, 25 and28). The engagement of the pawl with the ratchet is normally preventedby a. guard 47 arranged to underlie the pawl.

The guard is in the form of a lever pivotally mountedbn a. stud 4S andis provided with a. laterally projecting boss 49 to which an arm 50 issecu'ied- The arm 50 also pivotally engages the stud 48.

connected with a spring 52 which-normally holds the guard lever 1n aposition toprevent the engagement of the pawl 45 with The guard lever-isalso provided with a rearward PIOjGCtlOIl be engaged by a series of lugs5st on thepattern chain 55-. When one of the lugs rides under the finger53, the pawl guard is ldwered, as indicated in dotted lines iii Fig. 25,to permit the pawl 4L5 to engage 'oneof .the teeth of the ratchet l1 andthus advance the camdrum. The teeth on the ratchet 44 are of differentlengths and the lugs 54 on the pattern. chain are of different heightsso that the guard lever may lowered the proper distance in accordancewith the length of the tooth which is y be engaged by the :pawl. Thepattern cha'n which controls the feeding movements 7f the gem drumpasses over a sprocket wheel Z56 loosely mounted on the stud w chcarries the'cam z'" drum and also passes over the guide sprocltg,

bets 57 and 58. The patterii chain is intermittently advanced during therunning of the machine through a ratchet wheel 59 secured to the rearside of the sprocket wheel and arranged to be engaged by a pawl 60pivotally mounted on the upper end of the pawl carrying lever 46. Thepawl 60 rides over a guard 61 so arranged that the pawl will advance theratchet wheel one tooth at each reciprocation of the pawl carryinglever. The pawl carrying lever is oscillated from the segment leverthrough an arm 62 projecting upwardly from the hub of the segment andprovided with a slot engaging a pin 63 on the lower end of'the pawlcarrying lever. The pawls 45 and 60 are forced in a direction to engagetheir respective ratchet wheels by a spring 64 connecting the pawls. i

The knitting cams for forming the knitting waves in the needles and thepickers for effecting the narrowing and widening are mounted on asemi-cylindrical support 1 65 which is secured to the base plate of themachine and for ms one section of the stationary cam cylinder. Thissection of the cam cylinder embraces substantially onehalf of the needlecylinder while the other half is surrounded by a cam cylinder seccamwill be described later.

tion 66 formed of a series of plates 67 separated by the spacing collars68 which surround the retaining bolts 69 by which the section is securedto the base plate and which 'are interposed between the plates 67. The

upper plate of the skeleton section forms a continuation of thesupporting ledge for the needle butts when the needles are on theknitting level while the space between the lower and middle plates formsa continuation of the leveling groove into which the needle butts aredirected in leveling the needles for transferring work. This construction enables the cam supporting cylinder to be economically andconveniently constructed and also enables the cam carrying" right toleft in Fig. 17 when the needle butts are in the leveling groove 79. Theneedle elevatin cam 76 so mounted that it may be with rawn radially fromthe path of the needle butts, so that the needle butts will pass downinto the leveling groove 79 when the needles are to be "leveled fortransfer work. The means for withdrawing this The support 65 alsocarries the two lifting pickers 80 and the two depressing pickers 81.The lifting pickers are arranged above the stitch cams and 71 and aremounted" to swing v about inclined axes, as indicated in Fig.-

ment with the needle butt, the other p1cker is moved down into activeposition by a lever 82 pivoted on the outside of the support 61 andhaving its ends arranged to engage the pickers and transmitmotion fromone picker to the other. The needle depressing pickers 81 are mounted onhorizontal givots 83 carried by vertical pivot studs 84. l prings 85mounted on the pivots 83 act 1 to force the pickers yieldingly upward.The pickers are caused to swing downward when engaged by the needlebutts by the guide cams 86. The pickers arenormally held down ininactive position, as indicated in Fig. 17, through levers 87'. One endof each lever engages an arm 88 projecting from one of the pivot studs84, and the other end of each lever is engaged by the vertical arm of abellcrank lever 89, thehorizontal arm of which rides on a cam 90 on thecam drum; 11. The cam 90 is provided with openings or depressions 91which are brought into register with the bell crank lever 89 and allowthe pickers to move up into active position when the widening of thefabric on the heel or toe is to beg1n.-

It will be noted that in the constructi.

shown the depressing pickers 81 are arranged on the same side of theneedle cylinder as the lifting pickers and stitch'cams. This arrangementof the pickers in a. ma .chine in which the needle cylinder is 1'0-tated an reciprocated makes it necessary, in order that the depressingpickers may be throw i to action at the proper time in the reciii'odlttion of the needle cylinder, that the movement of the cam drum11, which brings the depression 91 into register with the lever 89 andthus throws the pickers into operation, should take place at a differenttime from the timing of the movements which are imparted to the drum byits actuating pawl 45. actuating mechanism is therefore provided foractuating the cam drum to throw the needle depressing pickers intooperation.

In the construction shown, thisactuating- An independent .lLlO

&

ment is at the lower end of its stroke. Now, as the segment completesits upward stroke, the end of the segment strikes the lug 02, asindicated in Fig. 23, and moves the cam drum forward from the positionindicated in Fig. 23 to the position indicated in' Fig. 24, thismovement oi the cam drum bringing the depression 91 into register withthe end of the lever 89 and throwing the depressing pickers intooperation. H

.\ latch ring 01 surrounds the upper ends of the needles and is mountedupon a pivot stud 05 so that it may he swung upout ot the. way fortransfer work tor inspection. The latch ring provided with an arm 90 onthe side opposite the pivot stud 95 which rests in a notch formed on theupper end of the support post 97. (Fig. l.) The pivot stud for the latchring is so mounted in a support 08 that it may be adjusted toward orfrom the needles to bring the latch ring into proper position withrelation to the needles. As shown in Fig. 5, the latch ring is providedwith two rearwardly projecting lugs 99 which tit between the two sideplates 100 of the support 08. passes through the lugs J9 and intoenlarged holes in the side plate 100. The pivot stud is secured inposition by screws 101 which pass through adjusting plates 102 and intothe ends of the pivot stud. The plates 102 are mounted in guidewaysformed in the.

outer surfaces of theplates 100 and are clamped in adjusted position bythe clamp ing screws 103 which pass through slots in the plates 102 andare screwed into the side plates 100. The adjusting plates 102 may beadjusted in their guideways to move the pivot stud forward or back, andafter the adjustment is made, the plates may he firmly secured inposition by the clamping screws 103. The screws 101 may be tightened tospring the side plates inward so that they will frictionally engage thelugs 99 and frictionally hold the latch ring in an' posi- 'tion intowhich itmay be moved y the operator.

The latch ring carries a throat plate 104 through which the yarns arefed to the needles, the lower corners 105 of the opening in the throatplate forming guides over which theknitting yarn. passes. The sides I ofthe opening in the throat plate are inclined, as indicated in Fig. 7, toact as cams for turning down any needle latches which may-swing outwardinto the opening in the throatplate as the inactive needles are pass:ing during the reciprocatory knitting. The throat plate is so mounted inthe latch ring that it may be adjusted vertically to bring its guidingsurfaces into proper relation to the needle. As shown, the throat plateis provided with lateral projecting lugs 106 which fit within grooves107 formed in the latch ring, and the throat plate is held in The pivotstud 9o plate 112. .the yarn guides 121 and the yarn carrying upper endsof rods 111 which are mounted to slide longitudinally through holesformed in the guide plates 112 and 113. The lower ends of the rods arearranged to directly engage a series of cam ribslli secured to the camdrum .11 and constructed to raise and lower the rods at the desiredtimesand in the desired sequence. The yarn carrier rods a re providednear their upper ends with inclined portions 115 which, in slidingthrough the guide plate 112, act as cams for giving the yarn fingers aradial movement across the tops of the needles when the rods are raisedor lowered to withdraw or insert their yarns. The yarn carrier rods arepulled downward hy springs 110, and when in position to deliver yarn tothe needles, the yarn carrying fingers at the upper ends of the rodsrest on the pivot 95 of the latch ring, as indicated in Fig. 4. In theconstruction shown. there are six yarn carrying fingers, and in orderthat the outer fingers may move in the proper direction to carry their.yarns into proper relation with the opening in the throat plate, meansare provided for swinging the yarn fingers laterally as they are movedvertically to insert or withdraw the yarn. In the construction shown,this means comprises a series of cam slots 117 formed in a cam plate'118which is secured to the .rear side of the support 98. The yarn carrierrods are provided with blocks 1-19 adjustably secured thereon by screws120 which also pass thronghg'the slots 117 and coiiperate therewith inguiding and swinging the yarncarrier rods.

The difi'erent yarns are led tothe yarn carrying fingers through guideeyes 121 secured in an upper extension of the guide (Figs. 3 and 1.) In.order that fingers 109, which are mounted independently of the latchring, may be moved back out of the way whenthe latch ring is raised andthus avoid danger of tangling the yarns, the guide plate 112 is soconnected with the latch ring that the final upward movement of thelatch ring will. move the guide plate radially away from the needles. Asshown, theguide plate is mounted upon a rod 122 mounted to slide in abearing in the. sup-,

port 98, and the plate is provided with ears 123 carrying a rod 12-1which. passes through the ears and through slots formed in links 125 theforward ends of which are pivotally connected with lug 120 on the latchring. When the latch ring is swung up the links 125 first slide idlyback onthe rod 124. until the front ends of the slots 124 engage'therod, when the further upward movement of the latch ring causes the guideplate 112 to be moved rearwardly, This moves the yarn carrying fingersback away from the needles. When the latch ring is returned to normalposition, the links 125 act to return the yarn carrier fingers to theirnormal position, indicated in Fig. 4.

One of the yarn carrier fingers is designed to carry the splicing yarn,which is usually inserted andwithdrawn during each course in. knittingcertain parts of a stocking. In the construction shown, the means foroperating the splicing-yarn carrier finger, when it is lowered intoactive position by its cam 114, comprises a cam secured to the cylinderoperating gear 15 and constructed to positively raise and lower'the yarncarrier finger at predetermined points during each rotationof the needlecylinder. As shown, the splicing cam is in theform of a cam rib 127secured to the upper face of the gear 15 nd isforrned in sections, theends of which overlap 'so'that the length of the cam rib may beadjusted, as indicated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10.

. This cam coiiperates with an arm 128 secured from under the arm- 128'.As 'this occurs, 5 the finger 129 rides under the "inclined end i to therod of the splicing yarn finger and provided with a laterally projectingfinger 129 adaptedto ride on the earn 127 (Fig.

The leading end 130 of the cam127 is inclined to ride under the end ofthe arm 123 and liftthe yarn finger-sufliciently to with draw the yarn.The 'yarn finger remains in inactive position un'tll'the cam 127 passesof seam 131 arranged at the end of the earn 127, "and the yarn carrierfinger is positively drawn down into active position to inser; and feed;the yarn to the needles.

When the yarns are changed, the yarn which is withdrawn'is sev d and theends of the inactive yarns are eld by a clamp mounted upon the latchring, and arranged Within the needles. As shown, the yarn cutterand yarnclamp are mounted on a support 132 secured to the latch ring andcarrying a plate 133 located mithin the needles. The clamp 134 projectslaterally from a I clamp lever 135 pivoted upon a bracket car ried bythe plate 133. (Figs. 3 and 4,) The clamp is forced in a direction toclamp the yarns upon the plate 133 by a spring-pressed pin 136 engagingan arm dependingfrom the lever 135. The yarns are guided under the clampby a guide finger 137. The cutter 138 is pivotally supported on theplate 133 and is arranged to cooperate with a shear blade 139 secured tothe rear edgeof the plate. The rearend of the cutter lever everlies therearend of the clam lever 135 so that-when the cutter lever 1s operatedto raisethe cutter the clampis also raised, and

.to the loose pu .the leveling groove.

when the cutter is released to sever the yarn the clamp is also releasedto clamp the sevcred end. The'cutter is held closed by a spring-pressedpin, indicated at 140, similar to the pin 136. A spring 141 on the pivotstud of the cutter holds the cutter in osition to cooperate with theshear bla e 139. The means for operating the clampnhd cutter comprises aiever 142 the front end of which engages the rear end of the cutterlever and the rear end of which is engaged by a verticaily sliding rod143. The lower end. of the rod is engaged by a series of cams 144secured to the cam drum 11 and arranged to operate the cutter and clamat the proper intervals.

W on using the machine to knit half hose, the yarn carrier finger whichcarries the toe yarn is automatically raised to run off the stocking,the needles are automatically lev eled preparatory to the transfer of aribbed top. thereto, the yarn carrier finger which carries the yarn tobe used at the beginning of, the knitting is released b the operatingcam on the cam drum, an the belt shifter is operated to shift the belton lay and sto the machine. These operations all take p ace during thelast feeding movement imparted to the cam. drum. In order to effect theleveling of the needles, the needle lifting cani 76 is partiallywithdrawn at the time when the longbutt needles are passin the cam. Thebutts of the short-butt nee les then pass down" into the leveling groove'79-, and while the s'horobutt butts are passing the cam 76,. it iscompletely withdrawn so that the butts of the long-butt needles alsopass down into In the construction shown, the cam 76' is formed on theinner end ofa U-shaped slide 145, the arms of which embrace 'a guidinrib 146 formed on the guide plate.147 w ich is secured to a lug 148proJecting from the cam mpport :65.

(Figs. 16 to '21.) The meansfor withdrawing teslide 145 and cam 76comprises-a lever 149 one end of which engages a notch 150 in the sideof the slide 145 and the other end of which is arranged to be engaged byone arm of a bell crank lever 151. The other arm of the bell crankleveris arranged to engage a cam 152 which is secured to the cam drumwhen the ma} chine is to be used for transfer work. During; the lastfeeding movement of the cam drum, the low part of the cam 152 rides.undeuthe bell crank lever 151 and artially'withdraws the cam 76, asabove escribed. After the long-butt needles have. passed the cam 76, thecontinued movement of the cain drum brin the high art of the earn 152under the 11 crank ever 151,

thus completing thewithdrawal ofthe cam 76. When the cam is thuscompletely withdrawn, it'isretained in position by {latch 153 arranged.to en the underside of t e long arm of the U-shaped slide 145. The at iin a direction to engage v a spring 155. The latch' is provided-With aprojecting finger 156,;by which the oper ator may operate th latch torelease the cam carrying slide" 14 is thus released, the springressedpin 157 forces the cam slide radia ly inward and the cam rides againstthe ends of the needle butts until the tshort-butt; needles have passedthe cam, when the first long-butt needle will ride fupon the cam and bebrou ht into position to knit. As soon as the s iort-butt needles havepassed the cam,

it will move into its normal position, so that all the needle butts willride u on the cam and the needles will bs-bmu ht into knitting relationto the knitting cams. The operator thus releases the cam 76 after .thetransfer ch forced? th notch by;

When the cam slide '.gear 3 and is held against rotation in one as thedisk 17 0 travels around the stationary age a notch 154 track 171.Thedisk 170 carries a planet pinion 172 which engages a gear 173connected with the .roll 162 and also engages wg'ear 174 which surroundsthe hub of the 70 direction by a spring-pressed pawl 175. The gear 173has one more tooth than the gear 174..so that the mile-1624s.sloivlxrptated in a direction to draw the fabric ddiiifiward track 171. Thebracket" 164 carrying the 'takeup mechanism is mounted to slide freelyonguide rods 17 6 so that the take-up of the ribbedtop to the needleshas been' effected, in the usual manner. When the lever 149 is operatedto withdraw the cam 76 from the path of the needle butts, a verticalstopfinger 158 formed on the lever is brought into position under theblock 119 on the yarn carrier rod which carries the yarn to be used atthe beginning of the kn tting, s'o that theyarn carrier is. retained 1ninactive position. until after the transfer has been efl'ected'. Thenthe operator rehead 160 which is open on one side -'-an I ;whic hsupportsthe fabric take-up. A can" or receptacle 161 is secured to thelower end of the head 160 and receives the finished I 501 prises twotake up rolls' 162 and 163. which.

. leases the cam 76.-preparatory to'beginning finger 15.8 moves out theknitting, the stopv of active osition, t, us releasing th'emyarn carrier,lsci hat t ya fear i r' d'n ii down into act eposition and'presents t eyarn to the ffimactive. needle. ,"The cam 152 is removed --from the camdrum when ladies stockings are to be knit.

the head; 160 that it may be readily removed. As shown, the removablerod 176' or instep v t-h'e' begin of the heel or toe and for reoo amiss:

mechanism is free to climb u the fabric and relieve the frictionalengagement of the disk 170 with the track 171 and thus maintain apractically uniform tension on the fabric, Infforder that the take-upmechanism may be' readily -inserted in they head 160 or removedtherefrom, the bracket 164 is provided with an open slot 177 forengaging one of the guide rods 176 while the other guide rod passesthrough a hole 178 in the-bracket and is so supported in passes looselthrough guide holes formedv in the .uper angeof the head 160 and in alug 179 near they lower end of the head,

and the rod is supported in position by a pin 180 which rests on theflange at the upper end 'ofthe emp. The-ca 181 for raising the long-buttneedles into the inactive plane at eedles to the active-plane at thecomplfctlon of the heel. or toe, is pivotally The knit fabric passesdown through; a

fabric tube 159,-the upper end ofwhich is connected with the 1 gear 15.through motion is imparted bythe needle cy The lower end of the fabrictube'carne fabric. Theffabric take-up mechanism comasupporting .bracket' 164. pp. P r61 5 162 is? mounted on a 16"Z);, while the loweriollis; provided formed infthe end plates of the bracket 164. The trunnionsare; supported upon rods 168 which underlie the trunnions and I areprovided with vertical extensions acted .upon bysprings 169 which tendto force the lower roll firmly. against theuppcr .m1l.------ einechanism for 'drivipg...-.the--- upper roll 'Y,.'162 comprise" 1a.f'rictjio'ii disk 170 loosely mounted on the' end of the shaft 165 and"j arranged to on a circular stationary and described in em stoodthatthis'jconstructi'on and arrange- 125 mentare not essential to thebroader fea- Y1 mounted in a bracketj1'82'secure'd to the base plate ofthe machine andis operated through .a rod183; one-end of which ispivoted. toran'jai'm connected with the hi 1 :1 cam anil. the. other endof which directly ilizg'ages the cams Q-and. 22.)

1 85 on the cam "drum. The cam -1'81 is f held in i l yarns into-andouter-acute through 187 11e ...1 ower ends of which are connected. .-to=tlie; rearends of the levers 188 and the foi it'jartl ends -of-which.are arranged to e ngage-camribs 189 on the cam d m WW" i I While it ispreferred toi ejinploy the con struction and arrangement of parts shownodying all the features of the invention in an automatic knittingmachine adapted to knit either fashion stockings or half -hosey-it is tobe undertures of the invention and may be varied or modified withoutdeparting therefrom.

Having-explained the nature of the invention and specifically describedone form rmal po tron, indicatedrin -Fi'g. 2,.by a- 110 1. A circularknitting machine having, in

' combination, arotary needle cylinder, inde pendently movable needlesmounted there in, i'ieedle operating cams, a series of rods having yarncarrier fingers at their upper ends, inclined portions below thefingers, a guide plate havingholes through which the inclined portionsjqof sth'f rods slide as the reds are raised and'gloivered, and meansforraising and lowering the rods.

2. A. circular knitting machine having, in combination a rotary needlecylinder, independcntly m vane needles mounted therein, needleope cams,a series of .vertically slidingrodsp ovided with laterally projectingyrjn carrier fingers, and means for raising rid-lowering and for swingingthe rods. rcular knitting machine having, in

combination, a rotary needle cylinder, inde-,

needles, a series of yarn carrier fingers, and means for lillhlllg andlower ng the lingers and for swinging them laterally.

5. A. circular knitting machine having, in combination, a needlecylinder, independently movable needles mounted therein, needleoperating cams, a latch ring, and a threat plate through which yarn isdirected to the needles vertically adjustable in the latch ring.

U. a A. circular knitting machine having, in combination, a needlecylinder, independently movable needles mounted therein,

. needle operating cams, a latch ring, a threat plate through which yarnis direetcdto the needl s, vertical guides in the latch ring forreceiving the throat plate, and clamping screws for adj ustahly securingthe throat plate in the guides.

77. A. circular knitting machine having, in combination, a needlecylinder, independently movable needles mounted therein, needleoperating earns, a pivoted latch rin a threat plate in the ring throughwhic yarn is directed to the needles, yarn carrier lingers mountedindependently of the latch ring. and ,devices operated by the raisingand lowering of the latch ring for moving the fingers,back and forreturning them to normal position. .1

8. A circular knitting machine having, in combination, a needlecylinder, independently movable needles mounted... therein, needleoperating cams, a pivoted latch ring, a threat plate in the ring throughwhich yarn is directed to the needles, a series of vertically movablerods provided with yarn carrier fingers, a guide plate through which therods slide, and connections between the plate and latch ring for movingthe plate away from the needles during the final 11pward' movement ofthe latch ring.

9. A circular knitting machine having, in combination, a rotary needlecylinder, independently movable needles mounted therein, needleoperating cams, a yarn carrier rmsplicing yarn, a concentric drivinggear for the needle cylinder, and a cam on the gear for raising andlowering the yarn carrier to withdraw and insert the splicing yarn.

10. A circular knitting machine having, in combination, a rotary needlecylinder, independently movable ncedles mounted therein, needleoperating cams, a yarn carrier for splicing yarn, a cam for raising andsupporting the yarn carrier to withdraw the yarn from the needles, and acam at the end of the supporting cam for drawing down, the yarn carrierto insert the yarn.

11. A circular knitting machine having, in combination, a rotary needlecylinder, independently movable needles mounted therein, needleoperating cams, a vertically movable rod provided with a yarn carrierfinger, a cam for supporting and releasing the rod, an arm on the rod,and a segmental cam traveling with the needle cylinder arranged to acton the arm to raise and lower the yarn carrier finger when the rod isreleased by its supporting cam.

' WALTER LARKIN.

Witnesses BURTON W. CARY, Ina L. FISH.

